Erin Muldowney

Erin Muldowney – Concierge Travel Advisor | Universal Orlando Resort & Family Theme Park Travel

Erin Muldowney is a Concierge Travel Advisor with Favorite Grampy Travels, specializing in Universal Orlando Resort, theme park travel with toddlers and young children, and accessible family travel, based in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

A Toddler, a Scooter, Two Service Dogs, and Every Ride in the Park

When my family goes to Universal Orlando, the group looks like this: me, my almost-four-year-old son, my mother on her mobility scooter, and her two service dogs. We’ve been doing this for years. That’s my normal.

I’m an annual passholder and I’ve ridden every ride, eaten at every restaurant, and shopped at every shop across Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe. I’ve stayed at most of the onsite resorts. I know these parks the way you know your own neighborhood, because I’m there multiple times a year with a family that needs every piece of it to work.

That’s what makes me different as a travel advisor. These parks are familiar territory, not a brochure. Navigating queues with a stroller, coordinating service dog kennels at each ride, finding the elevator when your mom’s scooter can’t do the stairs: that’s a regular Tuesday for my family.

Every Ride, Every Restaurant, Every Shop

I’ve done it all, and I keep going back. Mythos Restaurant at Islands of Adventure is my top dining recommendation for families. The atmosphere is unlike anything else in the parks, the food is genuinely good, and the wait is shorter than most people expect.

Escape from Gringotts is the ride I tell every client to prioritize. The queue alone is worth the wait. From the moment you walk into the bank, the theming pulls you in so completely that you forget you’re standing in line.

Universal is building Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, a new spinning roller coaster opening in 2027 on the site where Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit used to stand. I got to take one of the last rides on Rip Ride Rockit before it closed in August 2025. Watching a park I love evolve keeps me current on what’s changing, what’s coming, and what clients need to know before they book.

Theme Parks with Babies and Toddlers: What I’ve Learned

I’ve been taking my son to the parks since he was two months old. He’s almost four now, and we’ve hit every height milestone together. Every ride requirement, every age-appropriate attraction, every toddler-friendly spot: we’ve lived through all of it.

My biggest tip for parents with babies or toddlers: take at least a half day away from the parks. Go to the pool in the morning and hit the parks in the afternoon when your little one has had a real break.

If you’re walking queues where strollers aren’t allowed, the momcozy hip seat carrier is a lifesaver. You can hold your child hands-free through the entire line.

The rider switch system is another game changer. One parent rides while the other stays with the baby, then you swap without waiting in line again. These are the details that turn an exhausting day into one your family actually enjoys.

Planning Around Your Whole Family, Not Just the Thrill Seekers

My mother uses a mobility scooter and travels with two service dogs. Every trip I plan accounts for the family members who need extra support, not just the ones heading for VelociCoaster.

Service dogs are welcome at Universal Orlando’s restaurants, shops, and shows. At rides where service dogs can’t board, Universal provides kennel crates supervised by team members. I can tell you which rides have kennels, which attractions can accommodate service dogs on the ride vehicle floor, and where the relief areas are throughout each park.

For families with mobility devices, I help with resort selection (some hotels have better accessibility layouts than others), park routing that avoids unnecessary backtracking, and which queue entrances have elevator or ramp access.

Before I became a travel agent, I spent over ten years in customer service. Listening to what people actually need and communicating clearly is what I did every day. That shows up in how I plan: asking the right questions, paying attention to details you might not think to mention, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.

The Last Ride on Rip Ride Rockit

I got to ride Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit one last time before it closed for good in August 2025. Sixteen years that coaster stood at the entrance of Universal Studios Florida.

Watching it come down was bittersweet, but it’s also part of why I love this place. The parks are always changing.

Based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, just outside Atlanta, I work with families across the country. I’m a mom first, and my son is my travel buddy for everything.

We plan our family’s multigenerational trips to the Smoky Mountains every year, coordinating people of every age and our dogs. That same energy goes into every client’s trip.

I also love planning surprise touches. Birthday celebrations, anniversary trips, first-visit reveals. I’m currently helping a family plan a Harry Potter birthday trip for their daughter’s eleventh birthday, and being part of that kind of moment is exactly why I do this.

Universal Family Trip Planning Questions

Q: What makes Erin Muldowney different from other Universal travel advisors?

I travel to Universal Orlando as an annual passholder with my toddler, my mother on a mobility scooter, and her two service dogs. I’ve ridden every ride, eaten at every restaurant, and know the parks from the perspective of families who need every detail to work, not just the thrill seekers.

Q: Can I bring a service dog to Universal Orlando?

Yes. Service dogs are welcome in all Universal Orlando restaurants, shops, and shows. At rides where service dogs can’t board, Universal provides supervised kennel crates. I travel with my mother’s two service dogs regularly, so I can walk you through which rides have kennels, where the relief areas are, and how to plan a park day around your dog’s needs.

Q: What are the best tips for taking a toddler to Universal Orlando?

Take at least a half day off from the parks. Use the mornings for the resort pool and hit the parks after nap time when your toddler is rested. Learn the rider switch system so both parents get to ride, and bring a hip seat carrier for queues where strollers aren’t allowed.